Tool for building and repairing wire fences.



R. L. BINGHAM. TOOL FOR BUILDING AND REPAIRING WIRE PBNGES.AFPLIOATIONTILED SEPT. 10- 1912. 1 0 ,771, Patented Aug. 11-, 1914.

2. SEBETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR M RMerZ'LBmg/zm. fi mwm BY v v 4 A TiORNEY R. L. BINGHAM. TOOLFOR BUILDING AND REPAIRING WIRE FENCES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10. 1912. 1 ,1 0 ,771,, Patented Aug. 11,191 I 2SHBETS-BHBBT 2.

WITNESSES 2 INVENTOR MW fiabefz LBilly/lam 1n: NORRIS PETERS 60.,PH01OIITHO WASHINuTON. D. n2v

' ROBERT L. BINGHAM, 0F MIDLAND, TEXAS.

TOOL FOR BUILDING AND REPAIRING WIRE FENCES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

Application filed September 10, 1912. Serial No. 719,509.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT L. BINGHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Midland, in the county of Midland and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tools for Build ing andRepairing vVire Fences, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful tool for building and repairingwire fences, the most essential function of the tool being that of awire stretcher.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive andefficient tool that will combine the features of a wire stretcher,staple puller, hammer, and a crow-bar.

A further object is to provide a tool that will be adapted to securetogether the two extremities of a broken fence wire so that the same maybe tied or inter-twisted.

With these and various other objects in view, my invention has relationto certain novel features of the construction and operation, an exampleof which is described in the following specification, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a tool in which are embodied the novelfeatures constituting the present invention. Fig. 2 is a detailperspective view of a removable head member adapted to be carried by oneextremity of the tool. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a pivoted dogwhich engages a rack of ratchet teeth formed upon the body of the tool.Fig. d is a detail ectional view of the same taken upon the line'4l-4 ofFig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters designate similar parts in all the figures, the numerall'denotes an elongated metal bar provided with a handheld 2 at oneextremity, and having the other extremity wedge shaped, as indicated at8. The handhold extremity of the tool is provided with an aperture 2*,through which a wire may be passed to anchor or secure the device to anysuitable support during the operation of stretching a. wire. Theopposite lateral edges of the bars are provided with racks of ratchetteeth. 1, the teeth of one of these racks having a staggered relation tothose of the other. The function of these two racks will presently bemade clear. The wedge shaped extremity of the bar 1 is adapted to entera suitable socket provided in a head member 5, the-two partsloeingheldin this relation by a set-screw 6. At one end of the head member 5, ahammer face 7 is provided, and at the other end of the member 5, a pairof claws 8 are formed to act in conjunction as a staple puller. Thatsurface of the head 5 which is directly opposite to the socket receivingthe wedge shaped extremity of the bar 1 is made slightly concave, asindicated at 9, the purpose of this particular construction beingexplained hereinafter. The two end portions of the head 5 are slotted asindicated at 10, and within each slot a roller 11 is rotatably mounted.The purpose of the slots 10 and the rollers 11 will presently be madeclear.

A frame which is mounted upon the bar 1 and is adapted to be adjustedlongitudinally of said bar will now be described. Thi frame comprisestwo lever bars 12 parallel to the bar 1 and respectively adjacent to thetwo edges of said bar, and a pair of cross-pieces 1.3 connecting theextremities of the bars nearest adjacent to the hand-hold 2, the twocross-pieces 13 being disposed one at each side of the bar 1. Theconnection established between the bars 12 and the cross pieces 13 is apivotal one, which will preferably be established by bolts as indicatedby the numeral 1 1. On each side of the bar 1 the crosspieces 13 arerigidly connected by webs 13 each of which presents a rounded face tothe bar 1 as shown in Fig. 3. These webs retain the pieces 13 in properrelation to the bar 1. The cross-pieces 13 are provided with inwardlydirected lateral ribs 1 1 as shown in Fig. 1. It is to be understoodthat the lever bars 12 are swung alternately and when the bar 12 isswung outward it engages the ribs and swings the pieces 13 on the pivotbolt 1 1 of the other bar. From the above description it is apparentthat the bars 12 are maintained in a certain spaced relation at oneextremity by the cross pieces 13, but the other extremities of the bars12 are free to swing to or from the bar 1 about the bolts 14 as pivots.The free extremities of the bars 12 are temporarily held in a parallelrelation and adjacent to the bar 1 by an elastic collar or band 15carried by the free extremities of the two bars. This band is usedmerely to hold the lever bars against swinging while the tool. is beingcarried from place to place. The end portions of the bars 12, which areconnected by the cross-pieces 13, are longitudinally slotted, asindicated at 16, and in each slot,

there is pivotally mounted a dog 17, the pivot pins being indicated at18. The wedge shaped extremity of 'eachclog which engage the correlatedracks 4. has greater thickness than the portion of the dog which ismounted in the slot 16, the enlarged extremity thus formed beingmdlcated by the numeral 19. The other extremities of the two dogs areformed with handles 20, so proportioned and spaced as to be simultaneously gripped in one hand by the operator. By pressing the hand-holdstogether, the

operator may simultaneously swing the two dogs out of engagement withtheir respective racks 4:- 7

To each dog there is connected one extremity of a chain 21, whichchain'passes 1 closely adjacent to the correlated bar 12, and

also passes through the slot 10 which is in alinement with said bar 12,the chain being carried by the correlated roller 11 in passing throughsaid aperture 10, the point of attachment of the chain 21 to the dog 17with relation to the pivot bolt 18 is such as to tend the force of theextremity 19 unto the teeth a of the bar 1. The length of the two chainsis sufiicient to permit the adjustable A frame comprising the parts 12and 13 to be displaced to the handle extremity of the bar 1 withoutdrawing the ends of the same through the slots 10. The free ends of thetwo chains are respectively provided with means for engaging a wirethese means being duplicated upon each chain extremity. Said means ineach case comprise a hook 23 and wire clamping device 24:, consisting ofa plate having a channel or groove 25 adjacent to one lateral edge andan eccentrically pivoted cam 26 adapted to engage a wire between its rimand the bed of said channel. In bringing the clamping device intoengagement with the wire, the wire is first 1 passed through the channel25, and the cam 26 is rotated until its rim comes into contact with thewire resting in. the channel. A longitudinal strain exerted upon thewire will tend to produce further rotation of the cam and thus willclamp the wire more securely in proportion as the strain upon the wireis increased.

In using the tool to connect the ends of a broken wire, the framecarrying the lever bars 12 and pawls 17 is moved up to the head thuspaying out the chains 21 whereby sufficient length is given to engagethe broken extremities of the wire in the clamps 24k and leave enough ofthe wire ends projecting to twist together when. thesplice is made. Thelever bars 12 are then swung toward and from the bar whereby "the frameis moved away from the head and the chains pulled through the head..Vhen the clamps 24 are drawn together the free ends of the wire may betwisted together. It is apparent that as one of the lever bars 121sswung outward the correlated pawl 17is moved into engagement with thenext tooth l, and

when the bar is swung inward the frame is moved away from the head 5.

In using the tool to stretch awire' the end 2 of the bar 1 is suitablyfastened to a post and the head 5 directed toward'the wire to bestretched. The'frame carrying the bars Only one chain is used. The clamp2 1 of the chain is engaged with the wireand the lever bars 12 swung tostep the frameialongthe bar l-away from 12"and pawls 17 is moved up tothe head 5 i to pay out the chains.

the head and thus draw the wire taut. By.

placing the end of'a piece of pipeover the reduced ends 22 of the bars12'the leverage may be increased.

The tool may be conveniently carried on horseback and used by fenceriders. Should a broken or burned post :and slack wires be encountered,the claw 8 is used to pull out staples. Toset anew post-the head 5'andframe carrying bars 12 and p'awls 17 are removed and the bar 1 used ,todig a new hole.

After the post is set the frame and head are replaced. To tighten thewires the operator places the tool horizontally with thepost' receivedin the recess 9'of the head and the end 2 resting against his body. Thetool is disposed against the post at right angles to the wire. and thehooks 23 engaged. with the wire on each side of the post.,- Bymanipulating the bars 12 the wire. is drawn toward the head 5 on eachside ofthe post and the slack thus taken up. These drawn or loopedportions of the Wire may be tied by a short piece of wire extendingaround the post therebetween. Staples maybe driven with the end 7 of thehead 5. j I 7 It is obvious that various changesmay be made in the formand proportion of parts of the above described device without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of thersame, and theinvention is, 1

frame adapted to undergo adjustment longitudinally of the bar, a pair ofdogs pivotally mountedupon sald frame and respectlvely adapted to engagethe two racks of ratchet teeth, a pair. of chains each having oneextremity connected to one of the dogs, said chains being" respectivelypassed through apertures provided in said heads, and a means forengaging a wire carried at the other extremityof each chain.

2. In a'device ofthecharacter described,

the combination with an elongated bar, having racks of ratchet teethprovided on two of said head and means for engaging a Wire its oppositelateral edges, of a head carried secured to the other extremity of eachchain. at one extremity of said bar, a frame adjust- In testimonywhereof I have signed my able upon said bar comprising two arms name tothis specification in the presence of 5 parallel to the bar pivoted atcorrespondigig two subscribing Witnesses.

extremities u on crossieces exten in etWeen said ai" n1s, a paii' ofdogs pivd tally ROBERT BINGHAM' mounted upon said frame and respectivelyWitnesses: engaging the racks of ratchet teeth, a chain W. F. Runs, 10connected with each dog passing through W. H. Rnonns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0."

